Shelf-covering.



Ti tiene LOUIS GASTB-Al, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHELF-COVERING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application tiled April 19, 1909. Serial No. l290,774.

To all whom. 'it may concern:

Be it known that l. Loris GASTRAM, a citizen of the lnited States. residing at Chi-K cago. county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lin- `the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a shelf covering or shield.

The object of my invention is to provide a covering of the character mentioned which will be particularly applicable in stores, warehouses or other similar places where goods are stored or arranged upon shelves, the same being designed for arrangement forward of such shelves to prevent the depo sition of dast thereon and upon the goods arranged upon the lattersuch as ordinarily deposits upon shelves because of the expo` sure thereof.

A further object is to provide a covering of such character which, when not in use. may be readily coiled upon a roller and stored out of view, and which when desired may be readily and quicltly uncoiled into covering position.

A still farther object is to provide such a covering the casing or housing for the reception of vfhich, when the former is coiled for storage. will be of ornamei'ital appearance inasmuch as the same will be adapted to serve in the capacity of a molding such as is ordinarily arranged upon the top shelf of la series of shelves.

further object is to provide a construc` tion of the nature stated which will be etticient and simple of construction, hence of low cost to manufacture.

Gtlier objects will appear hereinafter.

ll'itli these objects in view my invention consists in a covering characterized as above mentioned and in certain details of construction and arrangement of parts all as will be hereinafter fully described and particularlyv pointed out in the claim.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication, and in which,

Figure l is a front elevation of a section of a series of shelves upon which is arranged my device'in its preferred forni, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on substantially the line a: of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective of one of the pulleys embodied in my invention, a portion of the cords embodied in the construction passing thei'eover.

Referring now to the drawings l indiate a series of shelves which may be of any ordinary or preferred construction. Arranged upon the uppermost of said shelves, the sanie being secured thereto in any suitable manner so as to project beyond the front edge thereof isa molding forming meniber 2.` The lower front edge of the strip 2 is rabbeted as at 2' and to the forwardly projecting upper edge is secured a depending strip 3' which with the rabbet forms a groove or channel 3. Having its upper edge suitably secured, preferably tacked to the rearward side of said channel, that is to the front face of the rabbet 2', is a depending cover orcurtaia 4 of any suitable tlexible material such as canvas or other fabric, the saine being of a length and width such as to be adapted when in extended position to .entirely cover or shield the shelves l. Provided at the lower edge of said covering, the same preferably resting in a hemformed at said lower edge of said covering, is a roller or bolt 5.

. Having their extremities G suitably secured to the under surface of the member l, preferably to eyes 7 provided upon said surface, are a plurality of cords 8 preferably equally spaced apart. Said cords depend from said eyes and are looped under the lower edge of said covering. the same being carried upwardly through slots Cr notches 9 provided in the forwardly projecting upper edge of the member l, passing over pulleys 10 mounted in said slots. Said cords are united at their ripper extremities to a common cord ll which passes over a pulley l2 mounted in a slot lo provided in the meinber 1, the same depending therefrom and passing through an opening 14 provided in a guide strip l5, one of said strips being provided at either extremity of the shelves 1 for the guidance of the lateral edges of said covering.

By the provision of a construction as shown and described it is evident that upon drawing the cord l1 downwardly, in which event the bights 1G of the cords 8 upon which rests the lower edge of the covering. will be elevated, the covering because of its fric- .l tional contact with said cords being in which event coiled upon the roller 5, the same being, upon sutliciently lowering .the cord 11, evifr" dently deposited in the channel 3 in which event the saine will be concealed from View. A cleat 17 is preferably provided upon the strip l5, by means of which the cord 11 may be fastened so as to hold the coiled covering in position in the channel 3. IVhen desiring to lower the covering, the cord ll needs only to be unfastened or uncleated whereupon the free end of the former will drop Aby its ovrn gravity uncoiling into extended position.

YVhile I have shown what I deem to be the preferred form of my invention, I do not Wislrto be limited thereto as there might be many changes made inthe details of construction and arrangement of parts-Without departing from the spirit of my invention comprehended Within the scope of the appended claim. And although I have shown my device in combination with a series of shelves, I may use the same in any other combination to which it is applicable. A

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

In a device of the class described, the combination with a set of shelves of a supporting member located above the shaelves and projecting outwardly beyond the front thereof, said member being rabbeted along its lower front edge, a depending strip secured to the projecting upper edge of said member GU? I 2 fr c Y 554,179,

and forming with said rabbet, a curtain receiving channel, slots in said projecting upper edge, a series of pulleys in said slots, a depending flexible covering secured to the rear vertical face of said rabbet and a roller secured to vits lower edge, a series of cords secured at one end to the under face of Said support beyond the shelves looped under the roller and passing upwardlykover the said 40 pulleys in said longitudinal slot; a common cord also passing over said pulleys, the ends of said looped cords being secured to said common cord near said pulleys, a vertical Vmember at each end of said shelves provided with a channel, said channel communicat-AY ing with said-curtain receiving channel, Il pulley at the juncture between 'said curtain receiving channel and said vertical channel adapted to direct said common cord into the latter, an aperture in one of said vertical end members, said cord passing through said aperture, and means for securing the end of said common cord, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification 1n the presence of two subscrlblng Witnesses.

Louis GASTRM.

W'itnesses: p

J osnUA R. H. Porrs, Y JANET E. HOGAN. 

